If your child is obsessed with dirt-cheap rubber bands shaped like animals, why not pay the big bucks for a video game about them?

If you don’t know Silly Bandz, you are over 13, don’t have a kid under 13, and don’t read a whole lotof NewsFeed. They’re, as mentioned before, just rubber bands that are shaped like animals, musical instruments and Justin Bieber. Kids these days can’t get enough, wearing them on their wrists and trading with friends. If you step into any convenience store, they’re on sale in small plastic bags right by the checkout. Schools have even banned them for being dangerous and distracting. (See the top 10 toy crazes.)

So if your kid’s school has banned the Bandz, he can still get his fix with the Silly Bandz video game, coming out just in time for the holidays. The Nintendo DS game, produced by Zoo Entertainment, has players “rescue trapped Silly Bandz” by aiming their stored Bandz at cages. Specific Silly Bandz give extra powers, like exploding in midair.

At just $29.99, the game comes with a pack of video game-themed Bandz. So don’t be surprised if your middle-school son or daughter cares more about the included mass-produced rubber bands than the game itself. (via Joystiq, Silly Bandz Blog)